


no synthesis; no apoptosis

by cardbug



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged Up, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dimension Travel, F/M, Parallel Universes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-03
Updated: 2016-07-03
Packaged: 2018-07-19 23:01:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7380964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cardbug/pseuds/cardbug
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“There are worlds running parallel to ours. Some have major differences, some have minor ones. There’s a certain world I observed that is most identical to our world, with a significant difference.”</p><p>Attention grabbed, Adrien pushed aside all of his physics-attuned reasoning to ask, “And that difference is…?”</p><p>Master Fu didn’t look at him as he answered, “You’re dead there.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	no synthesis; no apoptosis

**Author's Note:**

> parallel worlds, anyone? 
> 
> so this is a wip i’ve been thinking of for a while. kinda angsty tbh, but hey. fingers crossed for it to turn out decent. (canon-divergence; aged up).

The few pleasant dreams Adrien had were of the memories of better days, what his family used to be. Although sometimes, he dreamed of red and black and blue, a lovely, strong voice echoing encouragements and banter to him. _"Good to see you, Chat Noir."_

Those dreams always left him with a sense of aching _longing_ – for what, he didn't know, but Adrien swore he had a name on the tip of his tongue upon waking, one he'd sigh with something akin to adoration.

Screams breaking out in the distance interrupted his musings, and he suited up without word.

* * *

It took his first confrontation with an akuma for Plagg to become less lax, more serious; to tell him _this_ :

"You were supposed to have a partner…"

At the time, too dazed by the idea of doing something he _wanted_ for once, he didn't realize the gravity of Plagg's words. Second by second, though, it became clear what having no partner would mean.

He couldn't purify the akuma; his Miraculous was one of chaos, destruction, misfortune. He was never meant to heal.

Without purification, the only thing that could be done was damage control – stop the spread of the akuma curses, imprison the akuma, and use Cataclysm if all else failed.

Adrien remembered when he first got his powers, how utterly _free_ he felt, so much he didn't even listen, took on the call like something he waited for all his life, looking at his clawed hands in wonder. Now years later, he couldn't bear to look at his hands anymore.

* * *

Paris became a ruin, a shadow of what it once was and represented. Aside from the akuma, there was the expansion of the crime-lords, the repressive systems launched to keep the citizens emotionless, blank slates that sacrificed their souls for immunity against Hawk Moth.

Being Chat Noir became a full-time job. He couldn't afford a delay, a life of his own, and many times, to even _think_. He needed to be always on the lookout, deal with the threat as fast as he could.

"You're only human," Plagg loved to say before his awareness faded, finally complying with his body's demands. It was times like these he got the chance to unmask, be Adrien.

Not that it mattered. Adrien Agreste, Chat Noir… he was alone regardless.

* * *

During his visits to Master Fu, Adrien made it a habit to stop by the Ladybug Miraculous. It felt so wrong to look at it in this state, inactivated and _unused,_ instead of proudly worn by his _partner._

"Who was it?" Adrien always asked, and Master Fu always answered that it didn't matter.

Only once, however, he gave a different answer, "The day I intended to hand her the Ladybug Miraculous, I found that she died."

It was a bit silly to mourn for someone he didn't really know, but Adrien found himself doing it anyway.

* * *

A year later, Adrien had found that due to the great relations the Chat Noir Miraculous and the Ladybug Miraculous had, it couldn't be used again unless the current cycle ended, unless he died as well.

"Guess we'll stick around for a while," Plagg jumped to say, before Adrien got any ideas.

* * *

"For a while now, I was trying to figure out a loophole in our situation." Trust Master Fu to summon him in the only uneventful day, and in an unholy hour of the night.

Adrien considered the perks of sleeping on a mat before Plagg slapped him awake. "Yes. Loophole. What?"

Master Fu was kind enough to ignore his behavior. "I think I found a solution. Temporary, of course, but it can last until Hawk Moth is defeated."

"There are worlds running parallel to ours. Some have major differences, some have minor ones. There's a certain world I observed that is most identical to our world, with a significant difference."

Attention grabbed, Adrien pushed aside all of his physics-attuned reasoning to ask, "And that difference is…?"

Master Fu didn't look at him as he answered, "You're dead there."

"Oh…" was Adrien's only response.

" _What?!"_ Plagg flew into Master Fu's face, outraged. "Where was I? There's no way I could let that happen on my watch!" He turned to send a glare at Adrien's direction. "And what is up with your reaction, kid?! _Oh_ , my fur-covered as—"

"Plagg!" Master Fu finally interfered. "You couldn't have done anything; it happened the same way as it did with the Ladybug Miraculous-holder."

Adrien stirred the conversation to its previous direction. "So if I'm dead, does that mean…?"

"Yes, she's alive," Master Fu completed for him. "I'm summoning her."

Adrien blinked. "Can you even _do_ that?"

"Sure I can. I just have to sacrifice my remaining life-expectancy and suffer through eternal damnation." And then Master Fu went on the motions to open many books in tandem and start performing the spell he conjured up, explaining every step to him and his goals. If Adrien had felt a little less dead-on-his-feet, he would've understood _something_.

But hey, if this worked…

At the end of the spell, a flare of red, bright light filled Master Fu's shop, leaving a figure behind as it faded.

"It actually worked," the figure, a young woman, said – a claim that they should've uttered instead of her. "Master Fu, _my_ Master Fu, told me of this." She gestured vaguely, as if attempting to explain but falling just short of that.

"You must be…" She turned to look at Adrien and then smiled. "Good to see you, Chat Noir."

Red suit, black spots and hair, and blue blue _blue_ eyes. Adrien knew he was a done deal. No questions asked about it.

God, seeing her felt like coming _home._


End file.
